Members of Da’ Hawaii Seniors Club of Cerritos enjoyed singing songs and learning about new information at their meeting on Thursday, March 26, 2026, at the Cerritos Senior Center in Cerritos. The meeting had special presentations by Pathways of Lakewood, Pete Kahele with his steel guitar, and music provided by the club’s Audio-Tech Group of Susan McCormick, Cesar Franco, and Carrie Kumabe.
President Carmelita Tiongson welcomed everyone to the meeting at 2:00 p.m. Member Frances McCormick led members in saying the Pledge of Allegiance, and Glenda Ujiie and Gladys Yoshii led the singing of the Hawaiian anthem, Hawai?i Pono??”. Members joined in singing Happy Birthday to Millie Yoshioka, who celebrated her 88th birthday earlier in March.
President Tiongson then conducted a short business meeting with reports from Treasurer Ken Matsuno saying that there currently are 109 members in the Da’ Hawaii Seniors Club with 57% being residents of the city of Cerritos. He also said that the club currently has $8,516.76 in the treasury. The secretary’s minutes by Secretary Pro-Tem, Carol Yamaguchi, were accepted with no corrections. Tiongson asked members to help plan for a club picnic on September 12. She also asked for help in inventorying the contents of supplies in the club’s “Cage” in the Cerritos Senior Center. She will be discussing both subjects again at the club’s meeting in April. Ann Kho asked members to sign-up if they wished to perform a Disney themed entertainment at the May 28th club meeting to celebrate Disney’s 70th Anniversary.
After the business meeting, member Annie Kelly introduced two guest speakers from Pathways, a community-based 501c3, nonprofit organization, who has been part of the Greater Lakewood/Long Beach area and surrounding areas since 1985. Guest speakers, Anilia Figueroa and Kaitlin Wood, took turns describing Pathways’ three-part ”Circle of Care” service. The three-part “Circle of Care” includes: (1) Care Navigation for older adults and chronically ill, (2) Hospice Care for clients and their families experiencing terminal illness, and (3) Bereavement Counseling and Support for children, adults, and families in grief. Anilia Figueroa said that this service to the community is provided all at no cost for adults, sixty-five years and older. Annie Kelly is a volunteer companion through Pathways and distributed information from Alzheimer’s of Los Angeles about Memory Loss. She encouraged members to contact Pathways if care needs arise.
The third part of the program for the day was the singing of songs led by Susan McCormick, Cesar Franco, and Carrie Kumabe, who are the club’s Audio Tech Group
Susan talked about the history of St. Patrick’s Day, and led the singing of the Irish songs, “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling,” “Danny Boy,” and “MacNamara’s Band.” Irish songs. She also led the singing of the song, Love Will Keep Us Together, in honor of the late Neil Sedaka.
After she led the singing of the song, I Miss You My Hawaii, she introduced Pete Kahele. Kahele played his steel guitar to accompany the song, Blue Hawaiian Moonlight. Kahele showed what the steel guitar looks like and how it differed from guitars. He said that the inventor of the steel guitar was Joseph Kekuku and that the steel guitar is usually placed on a table. The person playing the steel guitar sits behind it.
The steel guitar has a higher pitched sound than a regular guitar.
Tiongson announced the names of members who won raffles prizes that day. March birthday celebrant Millie Yoshioka won the first prize of the book of poetry, Caregiving Through Poetry. The book was written and donated by Jim Kelly, a poet and caregiver advocate. Tiongson also presented 10 other members with colorful shopping bags that were awarded as raffle prizes.